ISAF SAILING WORLDCUP - ROLEX MIAMI OCR
Miami, FL (January 29, 2011) - It was “do or die” today for sailors in the
final medal races of US SAILING’s Rolex Miami OCR. Reserved for top-ten
fleet racing finishers in Finn, 49er, Men’s 470, Women’s 470, Laser, Laser
Radial, Men’s RS:X, Women’s RS:X and Star classes, the medal races also
included “knock-out” Finals and Petit Finals, with two boats each, from the
Elliott 6m (women’s match racing) class. The racing formats replicate those
that will be used at the Olympic Sailing Regatta in the 2012 Games, and as
so designed, they did not fail to deliver a final punch of excitement to
six days of racing here for 716 sailors from 53 nations.

“In the final medal count, 14 different countries won 39 medals, with eight
different countries sharing Gold,” said US SAILING’s Olympic Sailing
Committee Chair Dean Brenner (Wallingford, Conn.) at the final Rolex
Prizegiving, held at Coral Reef Yacht Club. He explained that while 10
Olympic classes determined podium positions today, three Paralympic classes
completed racing yesterday to determine medalists.

US SAILING’s Rolex Miami OCR 2012 started Monday and has returned to
Biscayne Bay annually since 1990. The USA had the largest contingent of
sailors with 198, followed by Canada (97), Great Britain (39), and then
Italy (36). This was the second of seven stops on the International Sailing
Federation (ISAF) Sailing World Cup circuit, with the fleet now moving to
Europe for the third stop in Spain at the Consorrcio Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa
Sofia in Palma de Majorca (April 2-9).

SPRING IS AROUND THE CORNER
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FOR THE RECORD - CREWED
(January 30, 2011; Day 9) - Since crossing the equator on Friday, skipper
Pascal Bidegorry and his 13 crew on the 131-foot trimaran Banque Populaire
V have been following a similar track toward Brazil as current Jules Verne
Trophy holder Groupama 3. Just not as fast.

“As you might have seen though, our progression towards Cape Town is hardly
spectacular,” said crew Brian Thompson (GBR). “And unfortunately we have
more time of going slowly and not in the right direction, before we get a
low pressure to send us eastwards.

“So do not expect us to break any records from the equator to Cape of Good
Hope. The dream scenario is to be able to sail directly from here as
Orange2 and Idec did, when they set their respective fully crewed and solo
RTW records. But that happens rarely and the rest of the time, we have to
take the long way around the St Helena High, and now we are even going the
longer way than most. Such is sailing, and we are just racing as fast as we
can to do those extra miles quickly.

“What is it like on board? To describe it to a non sailor it would be like
a mix between driving in a F1 Qualifier each day, together with a 2 hour
gym session daily, whilst touring the world’s most remote islands and
undertaking a French immersion course all at the same time. It’s certainly
a special experience and I have been very lucky to be part of the team.”

BACKGROUND: The 131-foot trimaran Banque Populaire V is seeking to win the
Jules Verne Trophy, a fully crewed round the world record attempt under
sail. Skipper Pascal Bidegorry and his 13 crew began their attempt Jan.
22nd and must cross the finish line off Ushant, France before March 11,
2011 at 19:55:37 (Paris time) to break the record (48:7:44:52) set by
Franck Cammas and crew in 2010 on the 103-foot trimaran Groupama 3.

FOR THE RECORD - SOLO
(January 30, 2011; Day 2) - Thomas Coville, skipper of 105-foot trimaran
Sodebo, crossed the start line off Ushant, France on Saturday January 29th
in an attempt to beat Francis Joyon’s solo round the world record. His aim
is to return to the same spot by March 28 to pass the mark of 57:13:34:6
that Joyon (Idec) set in January 2008.

Conditions at the start promise to be lively with a 25 knot NE’ly wind
followed by fairly steep seas in the Bay of Biscay. If the forecasts are
confirmed, the skipper could hold onto the NNE’ly air flow for a
considerable time and even as far as the equator. As such, on the computer,
Sodebo’s schedule is rather favourable. “This decision to set off was an
easy one to make given the stability of the weather conditions,” admitted
Coville on the eve of his third round the world record attempt on this
boat. “The weather models have been in agreement for several days and if
conditions remain ‘vigorous’, the situation enables a quick and easy
descent to the equator, which I could cross in about 7 days, which isn’t
bad.”

ENTERING THE INDIAN OCEAN
(January 30, 2011: Day 31) - Thundering along at over 23 knots, Barcelona
World Race leaders Virbac Paprec 3 are showing little sign of conservative
tactics this evening, with second-placed MAPFRE slipping five miles from
the leaders after the 150-mile gains they earned over the past two days.
Further into the fleet is Neutrogena in seventh place, but their position
for co-skipper Ryan Breymaier (USA) is not as concerning as his
environment.

“What really sets me off is ... that everywhere we sail we pass plastic
floating in the water,” said Breymaier. “Where we are in the ocean just
now, every day we still pass some kind of shit floating in the water and it
is terrible. There is so much plastic trash in the water, there is so much
plastic fishing rope, so many plastic bags, plastic containers, jerry jugs,
water bottles it is just absolutely everywhere. It is really, really
disgusting. I have sailed across the Atlantic five times and the last trip
back from Costa Rica was pretty bad with the plastic, but now crossing the
Equator and down into the Southern Hemisphere, all along the periphery of
the South Atlantic high it has been nothing but trash in the water
constantly. That to me is much worse.”

Foncia co-skippers Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) and Francois Gabart (FRA), which
broke their mast on January 26, arrived in Cape Town Saturday afternoon.

BACKGROUND: This is the second edition of the non-stop Barcelona World
Race, the only double-handed race around the world. Fourteen teams are
competing on Open 60s which started December 31st and is expected to finish
by late March. The 25,000 nautical mile course is from Barcelona to
Barcelona via three capes: Good Hope, Leeuwin and Horn, Cook Strait,
putting Antarctica to starboard. Race website:
http://www.barcelonaworldrace.org

DOYLE EXPANDS!
Doyle Sailmakers is pleased to announce the addition of Daniell Diekema /
DOYLE NETHERLANDS and Johnny Jorgensen and Jacob Olsen / DOYLE DENMARK. The
experienced local sailmakers bring extensive racing and cruising experience
to Doyle. Since 1978, Jorgensen and Olsen operated as EuroSails in
Skovshoved Harbour, north of Copenhagen. Diekema brings 11 years of
sailmaking experience to Doyle, 6 years with Gaastra Sails and 5 years with
UK-Halsey. With the addition of Doyle lofts in the Netherlands and Denmark,
Doyle continues to expand its unparalleled, comprehensive service
worldwide. To contact your local Doyle loft, call 800-94-DOYLE or visit
http://www.doylesails.com

COUTTS PROMISES EIGHT TEAMS
The 34th America's Cup should be exhilarating, with its high-speed,
on-the-edge catamarans - as long as everybody turns up. While Oracle Racing
CEO Sir Russell Coutts says he is certain the event will attract at least
eight entries, the deadline is now only two months away and yachting
circles are busily speculating about whether the holders will attract
enough challengers to the starting line.

That is the backdrop to Coutts' presence in Auckland to sail the new AC45
wing-sail cat (the 45-footer designed to race in the pre-Cup 'World
Series') which will give teams multi-hull experience before graduating to
the full 72-foot version in the America's Cup in San Francisco in 2013.

Coutts took time out to promote the catamaran racing, opposed by many old
salts who do not agree with ditching the old monohull Cup-class yachts.
Some also say Oracle's multi-hull experience, courtesy of last year's
demolition of previous holders Alinghi, is too big an advantage.

While America's Cup organisers are claiming there are already six entries,
and Coutts predicts 8-10, not all are guaranteed of making it to the start
line at this stage. Counting Oracle, entries so far include challenger of
record Mascalzone Latino (Italy), Aleph Team France, Artemis Racing
(Sweden), YuuZoo (Australia) and one who is yet to be named - but whom most
assume is Emirates Team New Zealand.

However, YuuZoo are a long way yet from getting the financial backing to
get them to San Francisco and America's Cup insiders say even Mascalzone
Latino is feeling the financial pinch. Among the rumours are:

- That ETNZ are finding it hard raising the cash. Certainly team boss Grant
Dalton is not talking yet, although few have a better track record in
fundraising.

- That Mascalzone could even drop out and resign as chall-engers of record,
meaning Artemis will take over.

TIME WILL TELL: Amid the legal dispute after the 32nd America’s Cup in
2007, Alinghi owner Ernesto Bertarelli said in 2008 that he had 18
challengers willing to enter. At the time Scuttlebutt questioned how many
of those entries would actually make it to the start line, and of those,
how many would be legitimate competitors. Looking toward the 34th America’s
Cup, these questioned have not changed.

AC45: It’s been a few weeks since the prototype AC45 took its first splash
in the Hauraki Gulf, in New Zealand. Over the weekend, Russell Coutts
(ORACLE Racing CEO), and Jimmy Spithill (ORACLE Racing Skipper), talked
about their impressions of the AC45 program thus far. When asked whether
the new multi hull was a handful in 25 knots, Spithill’s enthusiasm spilled
over, “It’s awesome mate! I think we’ll be able to race these in 30 knots
and it will be a handful. Who knows, maybe there will be a few boats who
will be right on the edge and perhaps someone will capsize one, but look,
that’s what I think the sport is all about, it needs to have that element
of risk…read on at SailBlast:
http://sailblast.blogspot.com/2011/01/30-knots-no-problem-mate.html

SAILING SHORTS
* Newport, RI (January 27, 2011) - David Pitman, secretary of the J-Class
Association, announced that the first event in the J-Class Global calendar
will be staged in Newport, Rhode Island (June 15-19). Racing in the fabled
waters of the America’s Cup, the J-Class will use this regatta to kick off
a four-regatta series culminating in a race around the Isle of Wight in
July of 2012 for the finale regatta, which will be for the newly-minted
Hundred Guinea Cup. -- Full report:
http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=11179

* Annapolis, MD (January 30, 2011) - Sixteen teams (32 skippers, 32 crews)
brought their Interclubs south for the class's Midwinter championship,
hosted at Severn Sailing Association. The event is unique among Interclub
regattas as it is sailed in a "college-style" format with an A and B
division team. Paul-Jon Patin and Felicity Ryan from the Larchmont IC fleet
won A fleet by nine points with a dominating 1,1,3,1,3 scoreline, and his B
team, Mike Ingham and Max Lopez from Rochester, sailed well enough to give
the team the overall win. -- Full story:
http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=11180

* The Cruising Club of America (CCA) will award The 2010 Rod Stephens
Trophy for Outstanding Seamanship to Alessandro Di Benedetto for his
seamanship in jury rigging a mast after being dismasted near Cape Horn on
his solo, non-stop circumnavigation on the 21-foot (6.5-meter) monohull
Findomestic. This award is given “for an act of seamanship which
significantly contributes to the safety of a yacht, or one or more
individuals at sea.” The award will be presented on March 4, 2011 by CCA
Commodore Sheila McCurdy during the club’s annual Awards Dinner at the New
York Yacht Club in Manhattan. -- Read on:
http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=11178

EIGHT BELLS
Marvin H. Green Jr. has passed from these oceans to those beyond on January
27 in Florida. Marvin is most notable for his accomplishments on his 81
Foot, Pedrick designed Maxi Yacht Nirvana, which when launched from Palmer
Johnson in April 1982 went out to the east coast to set a new record in the
Newport to Bermuda race. Nirvana broke the old record by more than 5 1/2
hours and stood as the fastest elapsed time for 14 years.

Under Marvin’s command, Nirvana went on to set several more records
including, breaking the Fastnet Race record in 1985 by more than 12 ½
hours. This record also remained unbroken for 14 years. Nirvana broke many
more records in her brief tenure form 1982-1987 when Marvin sold her. She
still participates in offshore races under new ownership.

Marvin Green was a remarkable man who exuded the qualities required of
great men. He always had a clarity of purpose, the drive to achieve the
purpose and the humility to accept that history would always better his
achievements. When George Coumantaros’s Boomerang toppled Nirvana’s record
in 1996, Marvin was the first to congratulate Mr. Coumantaros and his crew
personally and publicly.

Marvin had wider aspirations for the ocean thoroughbred that he owned.
During his ownership Nirvana would travel to places no other US flagged
vessel would get permission to visit, including Mainland China and Cuba.
Many notables including Kings, Princes, Princesses, Knights, Senators,
Congressmen, actresses, actors, and on and on had the privilege of sailing
on Nirvana. Marvin also had a large group of close friends who remained
loyal to him in his time here.

He was generous with his friends but I know that he felt that it went both
ways. Marvin was always a gracious host who was at ease with the elite and
crew alike. His booming laughter could often be heard from boats near and
far.

Marvin was one of the rare owners who could surround himself with capable
and competent crew and be always able to bring out the best in his crew
while also being able to relate to them on an equal level. Marvin supported
a long list of professional and amateur crew who because of his generosity
had great accomplishments in the world of yachting and the marine
industries. The sport of sailing and world of yachting is much diminished
with the passing of Marvin Green. -- Michael Keyworth

GUEST COMMENTARY
Scuttlebutt strongly encourages feedback from the Scuttlebutt community.
Either submit comments by email or post them on the Forum. Submitted
comments chosen to be published in the newsletter may be limited to 250
words. Authors may have one published submission per subject, and should
save their bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere.

* From Lindsay Foster, T2P:
I have watched Premiere Racing in action at Key West Race Week, organizing
the venue, the race committee, the docking situations, the media, the
sponsors, etc. It is a huge job, and I agree that the classes need to step
up and organize within themselves. The organizers, and Peter Craig, made
every effort possible to leverage all opportunities to all classes to make
the regatta affordable and easy. Key West is a bit of a logistical
nightmare, and slightly expensive, but that is the trade off to sail in
such a great location. He can't move the island closer; he doesn't control
the airlines, the shipping and trailer companies. What he can do is provide
an excellent spot, work as hard as he can with the hotels and marinas not
to gouge prices, make sure the drinks are strong and the media coverage is
awesome, that the vendors provide everything a boat could want.

At some point the one design classes need to decide that they want to take
advantage of this event, that the owners love sailing against each other
and agree to participate in such a fun regatta. When I hear people
criticize the event organizers, it sounds more like an excuse for the class
not coming together and a justification for missing out on a good time. I
think everyone would do well to quit whining, complaining, arguing and
fighting, and just go enjoy themselves. This is supposed to be fun.

CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION
It's not the fall that kills you; it's the sudden stop at the end.